NOBLE! Doctor Who, BBC One, 6.20pm

Well, thank goodness Doctor Who is back to save us from the maudlin state that last night's Torchwood finale put us in. We're not sure we could have coped without something to see us through.

It seems an eternity since Dame Martha Jones bid the Doctor farewell and almost as long since Kylie died in the Christmas special. But here we are, ready for thirteen weeks of new adventures. The start of a new series of Who is always a funny experience. We simultaneously want all thirteen weeks to come at once so we can find out what happens, and want them to be stretched out even longer so it doesn't have to end. That feeling is even more acute as we have heard some tantalising rumours about the content of this series, yet we know we will be restricted to a mere handful of specials in 2009 rather than a series 'proper'.

Tonight sees the return of Donna Noble, and we just think Catherine Tate will be brilliant in this series. She's not going to be the only returnee, either, as during the course of its run, a whole plethora of old friends and enemies return. If you don't know who at least some of them are, well done you, for being able to hide under a rock. And if you've managed to avoid spoilers for now, we son't ruin that for you. Suffice to say, we are excited about pretty much everything we've heard about what's ahead - and even more so about all the things we haven't yet heard about.

And, of course, there are also lots of new faces for us to get used to. Tonight's episode introduces us to a new alien race, the Adipose, and the rather fabulous looking Miss Foster, played by Sarah Lancashire (one of many, many awesome guest stars lined up for the course of series 4). Who is she? What is Adipose industries? And what is that familiar-looking little tool she has with a blue light....?

CLASSICS! Verity Lambert Night, BBC Four, 7.10pm

It is only fitting that the first night of the new series of Doctor Who is also Verity Lambert night. A tribute to one of Who's creators and one of TV's top producers, it includes lots of old Who, The Naked Civil Servant, Minder, Jonathan Creek and a documentary about the life and work of the goodlady herself (which airs at 9.50pm). Watch in awe at just how much amazing one person can produce in their lifetime.

And apologies for the spoiler-tastic post about Torchwood's finale that was here earlier. We've taken it down now, which we know doesn't help anyone who happened to see it already. For our penance we will watch the whole of David Enchilada's performance AND talky bit to camera on American Idol next week. Twice.